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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · cue · charge · rush · ground · plane · lie · squash

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. squash — the sport
  5. charge — a price
  6. cue — a hint
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cue — a signal
  19. charge — in control
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cue — for pool
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com